Apparatus for loading cartons



Dec. 29, 1959 J. F. cuRRlvAN APPARATUS FOR LOADING CARTONS as 2? K58 Filed May 1, 1957 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR LOADING CARTONS John F. Currivan, Old Sayhrook, Conn., assignor to Carton Associates, Incorporated, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Application May 1, 1957, Serial No. 656,433

Claims. (Cl. 5348) This invention relates to apparatus for loading cartons and more particularly to apparatus especially adapted for loading a plurality of cans into a prefastened open-ended sleeve type carton.

In recent years the so-called open-ended sleeve cartons have become increasingly popular for the packaging of canned beverages such as beer and fruit juices, since such cartons dispense with end flaps and thus use considerably less paperboard than so-called full cartons and are relatively inexpensive.

All cartons of this type presently in use include cutouts or tab formations to lock the cans firmly Within the cartons. In general these locking devices are effective only when the carton is tightly wrapped around the cans.

A typical locking device, which is disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,559,948, comprises cutout portions adjacent the juncture of the carton side and top walls for receiving the rims or beads of the cans. This type of locking device is attractive because it does not require additional paperboard and since it can be formed easily in the carton by single simple cutting operation. However, unless the carton is tightly wrapped around the containers, the locking cutouts are ineffective. In practice it has been found that unless the height andwidth of the interior of the carton are less than the corresponding dimensions of the group of cans received within the carton, the desired locking action cannot be obtained. It has also been found to be extremely diflicult, even'when employing expensive, bulky packaging apparatus to glue the carton after it has been wrapped around an assembled can group. It has been recognized that when such cartons are used on a commercial scale they should be glued or otherwise fastened by staples or locking tabs before the cans are loaded into the carton. However, because of the dimensional relationship between the can group and the interior of the prefastened carton, considerable diificulty has been experienced in loading cans into the carton quickly and economically while minimizing possibility of damage to the prefastcned carton.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is the principal purpose and object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for loading a group of cans or like containers into prefastened open-ended sleeve type cartons.

In accomplishing this primary object and others, the present invention comprises means for indexing an erected prefastened carton to and from a loading station, a star wheel mechanism for inserting a group of cans in staggered relation into said carton and means for moving said cans into aligned side-by-side relation after the carton is indexed away from the loading station. By the use of appropriate indexing mechanism the loading apparatus of the present invention may include any desired number of loading stations.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved carton loading mechanisms which are relatively simple and inexpensive in construction in which the cans ice '2 are moved smoothly into the cartons which substantially eliminates any possibility of damage to'the cans or to the loading mechanism.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic top plan view showing the preferred apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse action taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic top plan view'of a modified form of apparatus.

While the present invention is, in certain aspectsyof general utility and wide application, nevertheless it has found its principal utility in connection with 'the loading of so-called six-pack cartons in which six cans are arranged in two rows in the carton, the cans of one row being directly opposite the corresponding cans of the other row.

Referring now more particularly 'to the drawings, the

components of the loading apparatus of the present invention are supported on a conventional machine frame indicated generally at 20, which is not illustrated in detail, and Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a relatively simplified form of the present invention in which the loading op eration is effected 'at a single loading station, indicated generally at L. The cartons 21 are of the open-ended preglued sleeve type as disclosed for example, in United States Patent No. 2,559,948. .1" he cartons comprise paral lel top and bottom walls 22 and'24 and parallel side walls 26 and 28. The top Wall 22 of each of the cartons is formed by inner and outer wall panel sections 30 and 32, respectively, the latter overlapping and being ,glued to the former. Three locking cutouts 34 are formed in the carton adjacent the juncture of each of the side walls with the :top and bottom carton walls, through which the upper and lower beads or rims of the cans project when the cans occupy their final loaded position within the carton.

A series of the cartons "21 "is moved from right 'to left as viewed in Figure l by a conventional chain conveyor assembly which includes a flexible platform chain 38 and pairs of upstanding transport fingers 40 which firmly engage and support the carton side walls.

A hold down strip 42, mounted by suitable frame structure indicated generally at 44 on the machine bed, slidably engages the upper surfaces of the cartons as they traverse the loading station. Front and rear guide strips 46 and 48 are also mounted on the machine bed adjacent the front and rear edges of the cartons, the former being interrupted at the can loading station L. Accordingly, as the conveyor assembly moves the cartons they are completely confined against vertical movement by the conveyor chain and the'hold down strip and completely con,-

. fined against endwise movement by the guard strips 46 and 48, and are held in fully erected position by the transport fingers 40.

The containers 50 which, in a typical case, are cylindrical beer cans having upper and lower rims 52, are fed by any suitable mechanism into a loading chute formed by parallel side strips 54 and 56 and a divider strip '58 mounted by any suitable means on the machine frame 20. The strips '54, 56 and 58 each engage the cans midway of their height between the upper and lower rims or beads 52. As the chute approaches the line of cartons, the center divider strip 58 is terminated and the. outer guide strips 54 and 56 are brought more closely together so that the inside of the strips 54 and 56 are spaced apart a distance substantially the same as the spacing of the inner surfaces of the carton side walls which, as indicated above, is less than the width of two of the cans 50 in side-by-side relation. Accordingly, the cans in the relatively narrow portion of the chute are necelssarily disposed in offset relation, as shown in Figure Y. The passage of the cans into the relatively narrow portion of the feed chute as well as the loading operation is controlled by opposite sets of star wheels 60 and 62. Each of the sets of star wheels comprises upper and lower wheels mounted in spaced relation on operating shafts 64 and 66, respectively, rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, respectively, by any suitable drive mechanism, not shown. The star wheels are each arranged on their operating shafts so that they contact the top and bottom rims or beads of the cans. The star wheels 60 each include three pockets 67, 68 and 69 and a dwell portion 70. The star wheels 62 are of identical construction and each includes pockets 71, 72 and 73 and a dwell portion 74. The operating shafts 64 and 66 are offset axially of the carton a distance substantially equal to a radius of one of the containers as best illustrated in Figure 1. Accordingly, in each revolution of the shafts 64 and 66, each of the star wheel sets feeds three cans toward the adjacent end of the carton, the cans being arranged in two rows and the cans of one row being offset from the cans of the other row axially of the carton a distance substantially equal to the radius of one can.

To facilitate the entry of the cans into the adjacent open end of the carton a cam device indicated generally at 76 is provided at the loading station. The cam device, which comprises a relatively thin metal sheet havmg four blades 78, is mounted for free rotation on a shaft 60 supported on the machine frame. The cam 76 is tilted slightly as shown in Figure 2 so as to dispose the innermost blades 78 just below the level of the inner surface of the top carton panel. Accordingly, one of the blades 78 is always in the path of the leading can entering the carton and smoothly cams the can into the carton.

y In operation the cartons are moved from right to left as viewed in Figure 1, with an intermittent motion and are indexed toward and away from the station. The drive mechanism for the conveyor chain 38 is so arranged that the cartons are successively moved to the position of the carton at the loading station L where the inner surfaces of the carton side panels are aligned with the inner surfaces of the can chute strips and are held in this position during the interval when the pockets 67, 68, 69, 71, 72 and 73 pass through the can chute. While the feed wheel sets 60 and 62 are rotated contmnously during the operation of the machine, their action is intermittent because of the incorporation of the dwell portions 70 and 74. The mechanism for indexing the conveyor chain and for rotating the feed wheel in timed relation with the indexing mechanism are wholly conventional and may take a number of forms well known in the art.

The mechanism is shown in Figure 1 at the completion of the loading cycle, just before the carton at the loading station is indexed away from the loading station. At this time six cans are positioned within the carton, the cans being arranged in two rows of three each, the cans of each row being otfset axially of the carton with respect to the cans of the other row. Because of the offset relationship of the two can rows, the last loaded can 82 projects outwardly of the carton. When the carton is indexed away from the loading station L, the projecting can 82 is moved into the path of the rubber covered periphery of a loading wheel 84 mounted on a shaft 86 suitably secured by means not shown to the machine frame. The wheel 84 thus cams the can 82 smoothly into the carton thus urging all of the cans in the trailing row into their final position shown at station L In this final loaded position, the upper and lower rims 52 of each of the cans project through the locking cute outs 34 provided in the carton. During the final loading action, passage of the cans out of the end of the carton opposite the loading Wheel is prevented by the back up strip 48 which is preferably faced with Teflon.

If desired, the loading wheel 84- may be mounted for free rotation on the shaft 86 so that it is rotated only by contact with the projecting can 82 or, if desired, it may be positively driven in a counterclockwise direction to rotate the projecting can 82 in a clockwise direction and thus roll the can smoothly into the carton.

As the cartons are indexed, the ends of the side wall carton panels rotate the cam mechanism 76 through an arc of 90 to dispose the next succeeding blade in operating position.

Figure 3 discloses a slightly modified form of the invention in which the cartons are loaded at two loading stations L and L separated by a space equal to the width of two cartons. Except for the cam assembly 76, the loading mechanism at each of the loading stations is identical with the corresponding mechanism of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2. The indexing mechanism is so arranged that the carton conveyor moves intermittently through a distance exactly equal to the width of two cartons. Accordingly, the carton loaded at the first station L is moved in the first indexing movement to a position next to the second loading station L and in the next indexing movement is moved to a position just beyond the second loading station L Accordingly, the loading mechanisms provided at the two loading stations are effective to load alternate cartons. The shaft supporting the cam assembly 76 at the second loading station is mounted for tilting movement about an axis normal to the carton axis to permit the cam to move away from the carton when one of the blades contacts a can in a carton previously loaded at station L The shaft is spring biased against a stop and normally occupies the position shown. While three or more loading stations can be utilized in connection with the mechanism of the present invention, nevertheless, since each additional loading station requires that the individual indexing movements be equal to the width of an additional carton, it may be expected that, as a practical matter, a limit of two loading stations as shown in Figure 3 will be observed.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, the feed wheel sets 60 and 62 may be positioned directly opposite each other. In this case the pockets of one of the wheel sets will be angularly offset with respect to the pockets of the other wheel set to obtain the desired staggered can feeding action. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for loading an even number of containers into an open-ended sleeve carton, the interior width of which is less than twice the diameter of one of said containers, comprising means for indexing an erected carton to and away from a loading station, a chute for said containers having a terminal portion of substantially the same width as the interior of said carton and aligned with said carton at said loading station, container feed wheels arranged at opposite sides of said terminal portion of said chute, means for rotating said feed wheels in timed relation with the indexing movements of said cartons to load said even number of containers into said carton in two rows of equal number, the containers of one row being offset with respect to the containers of the other row axially of said carton, the trailing container of one row projecting outwardly of said carton, and

means interposed in the path of said projecting container in the further movement of said carton to urge said projecting container into said carton.

2. Apparatus for loading six containers into an open ended sleeve carton, the interior width of which is less than twice the diameter of one of said containers, comprising means for moving an erected carton to a loading station and for moving said carton away from said loading station after a predetermined time interval, a chute for said containers having a terminal portion of substantially the same width as the interior of said carton and aligned with said carton at said loading station, a first set of feed wheels arranged at one side of said terminal chute portion, a second set of feed wheels arranged at the opposite side of said chute terminal portion the axes of said second set of feed wheels being offset with respect to the axes of said first set of feed wheels axially of said carton a distance substantially equal to one-half the diameter of one of said containers, means for rotating said feed wheels in timed relation with the indexing movements of said carton to load six containers into said carton in two rows of three each, the containers of one row being offset with respect to the containers of the other row axially of said carton, the trailing container of one row projecting outwardly of said carton, and means interposed in the path of said projecting container in the further movement of said carton to urge said projecting container into said carton to complete the loading of said carton.

3. Apparatus for loading an even number of containers into a sleeve carton, the interior width of which is less than twice the maximum diameter of one of said containers, comprising means for indexing an erected carton to a loading station and for indexing said carton away from said loading station after a predetermined time interval, a chute for said containers presenting a fixed terminal portion adjacent said loading station, means operative in timed relation with said carton indexing means for positively feeding said containers through said chute terminal portion into said carton during said predetermined time interval when said carton is held at said loading station, a multi-bladed cam device mounted for free rotation about a fixed axis adjacent the terminal portion of said chute, said cam device having a cam blade interposed between the top of said carton and the upper end of the leading container to facilitate the entry of said container into said carton,- said cam device being rotated by said cartons as they are indexed to and from the loading station, said containers being moved into said carton in two rows, each row having the same number of containers and the containers of one row being ofiset axially of the carton with respect to the containers of an adjacent row, the trailing container of one row projecting outwardly of said carton, and means interposed in the path of said projecting container in the further movement of said carton to urge said projecting container into said carton.

4. Apparatus for loading six containers into an openended sleeve carton, the interior width of which is less than twice the diameter of one of said containers comprising means for indexing an erected carton to a loading station and for indexing said carton away from said loading station after a predetermined time interval, a fixed chute for said containers having a terminal portion of substantially the same width as the interior of said carton and aligned with said carton at said loading station, a first set of feed wheels arranged at one side of said terminal chute portion, a second set of feed wheels arranged at the opposite side of said terminal chute portion, the axes of said second set of feed wheels being ofiset axially of said carton with respect to the axes of said first set of feed wheels a distance substantially equal to one half the diameter of one of said containers, means for rotating said feed wheels in timed relation with the indexing movements of said carton to load six containers into said carton in two rows of three each, the containers of one row being offset axially of the carton with respect to the containers of the other row, the trailing container of one row projecting outwardly of'said carton, a cam device having blades disposed in the path of the leading can entering the carton to cam the cans smoothly into the carton, and means interposed in the path of the projecting container in the further movement of said carton to urge said projecting container into said carton to complete the loading of said carton.

5. Apparatus for loading an even number of containers into an open-ended sleeve carton, the interior width of which is less than twice the maximum diameter of one of said containers comprising means for indexing an erected carton to and away from a loading station and for holding said carton at said loading station for a predetermined dwell period, means forming a fixed chute for said containers leading to said loading station, means operative in time relation with the carton indexing means for positively feeding said containers through said chute into said carton during said predetermined dwell period, said containers being fed in two rows, each row having the same number of containers and the containers of one row being ofiset axially of said carton with respect to the containers in the adjacent row, the trailing container of one row projecting outwardly of said carton, freely rotatable cam means having a cam member disposed in the path of the upper end of the leading container to cam said containers smoothly into said carton, and means interposed in the path of said projecting container in the further movement of said carton to urge said projecting container into said carton.

Griswold et al Mar. 27, 1956 Ferguson et a1. July 31, 1956 

